


Next Year

by NikiDramatika



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Age Difference, M/M, OR IS IT, Pre-Slash, hoo boy silly season got me good, i ship this rare pairing what you gon do i'm in a different city, inaprropriate phone flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24182347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikiDramatika/pseuds/NikiDramatika
Summary: Daniel gets a bit bored in quarantine, contemplates his new contract with McLaren and decides to annoy his future teammate.
Relationships: Lando Norris/Daniel Ricciardo
Comments: 3
Kudos: 58





	Next Year

Next year

"You gonna feel even older next year, you know that?" At this point Michael is just plain making fun of you. "With that new teammate of yours."

You decide to bite. "He's a good kid, good kid!"

"Don't call him  _ kid _ , you creepy old fuck!" Michael is smiling at you, standing just above you making sure you don't drop the barbell on your chest. "Okay, 10 more."

You laugh, already out of breath from physical exertion.

"Maybe, that's what I am," one more push, "an old fart, who probably won't ever win a single race in his life."

Your coach makes a little fake annoyed noise. "What kinda defeatist talk is that? For all we know, Daniel Ricciardo could be WDC of 2020."

"Well, I would certainly try to win some races, if we  _ had  _ them, you know!" You're finished with your bench presses, so now you have your well deserved five minutes of rest. Michael steps out of your home gym to get some water and more towels, while you sit on a mat trying to get your breath under control.

You wonder if it's the prolonged off-season at fault, or if it's really your old age starts to show itself. 30 is... quite an age for a sportsman, after all, even if racing is not as demanding physically as some other disciplines. 

You got your chance at Formula 1 when you were 24, Lando at 19. You can't help but feel a little envious of him for that extra time he got. Five years could be a whole ass career in Formula 1 for some!

Max was even younger, you think absentmindedly. And look at him, doing great, king of Red Bull. Another opportunity lost for you. 

You hear Michael's voice in the distance. Apparently, your personal trainer, to whom you pay a lot of money, mind you, decided that talking with his (currently-long-distance, while you both are stuck in Australia) girlfriend is more important than helping his precious client do the stretching. Oh, well. You're not really mad.

You grab your own phone and flip through your long contact list, not quite sure who you want to message or call. There was a time when there could only be one answer, but that is no longer the case. You don't really talk with Max outside of race-weekends anymore. You feel a tingle of disappointment, but quickly remember that it was  _ you  _ who decided to not make any effort to become actual friends when you left RB.

You don't feel comfortable contacting anyone in Renault either, not for a couple of days anyway. You still have this year with them, and yet after today's statement regarding your new contract it feels... kinda awkward. You're not even sure if Aurelie will follow to your new team.

You spread your arms and just lay there on the floor, holding your phone in one hand. You don't feel as uncertain as you felt that year you left RB, or when you figured out that Renault won't be able to provide you with a good car, you should feel hopeful about your future, and yet... Maybe this whole year is stupid, with the pandemic and all. You really miss racing. You feel numb.

You contemplate falling asleep right there on the floor, since apparently Michael decided to completely ditch you, and then your phone vibrates in your hand. A message.

_ > Cheers to my new future teammate :* _

Lando. You chuckle slightly, and decide to go for the obvious. 

_ > Well, well, well... Next year we shall really see if you've become a man yet ;) _

You cringe a little at your reply, but sometimes that "funny guy be funny all the time" image is  _ really  _ hard to ditch. You don't even know if Lando wants to chat with you about this stupid nonsence crap, of it he was just trying to be nice, greeting you as his future teammate.

_ > I'm not sending you photo proof, mate, don't even try me _

Well, it seems he's up for this.. small-talk after all. Another message right after:

_ > At least not this year ;P _

Ballsy. Well, you think, at least even if you don't have a competitive car, you will probably have a bit of fun doing PR-events with him next year. As far as you know, McLaren sort of became the second Red Bull with their funny videos and interaction with fans. It's a part of your job you know many racers do not enjoy, but you kinda do. You make a mental note to yourself to try to embarrass Lando as much as possible in the future.

Hell, might as well start now. You call him. He, surprisingly, picks up right away.

"Why are you calling me, mate?" Lando sounds like he's been laughing, and you hear a lot of voices in the background. "If you're trying to assert your position as the best driver in a team, that won't work on me, you know!"

"Wow," you start, "you completely overwhelmed my brain already, Norris," kinda true, since you were almost asleep there on the floor, "I am legit considering backing off of that contract right now!"

Lando laughs, and then whispers "get off!" probably to someone next to him. You suddenly realise that you never actually talked to him on the phone before.

"Aren't we all supposed to be quarantined?" you ask vacantly.

"Yeah, man, these are my roommates, we all stuck here together. Hold on," you hear what you decide is a door opening and closing, and the background noises reduce quite a bit. "Just went into my room," explains Lando.

"I feel weird," you confess, "it's like next time I'm going to a race track, I'm going to McLaren and you, and it's going to be next year's pre-season testing."

Lando chuckles and doesn't say anything, so you continue.

"Do you know when's gonna be first race this year?"

"No, man, no one tells me anything!" Lando fakes annoyance with his voice, "I'm sitting in my apartment 24/7 being a twitch celebrity and trying to not gain any more weight, not getting any news whatsoever. What're you doing? You in Australia?"

"Yeah, at my parents' farm," you reply, and Lando immediately interrupts:

"Ahey! I've seen you! You're molesting animals and house appliances there!"

For a moment you both laugh like two awkward dumbasses, and this moment again reminds you of Max.

Well, you decide, if we're going dumbasses, might as well go full dumbass.

"Careful there, it's not animals I will be molesting in the near future." You cringe again, belatedly thinking that you might be a bit too inappropriate with a person you barely know (and that word is totally not right, you know that, but hey, he started it, not you), a person 10 years younger than you.

Lando doesn't get it at first:

"What, who're you?.." and then he does, "oh. Har har."

You decide that you definitely like teasing him. Lando doesn't say anything, and you're thinking of something equally dumb to say just to continue this pointless but fun conversation, but then you hear Michael returning.

"Phones down, kids," he says jokingly.

"Gotta go, my coach returns," you say quickly, hear Lando's "byeeee" and end the conversation.

"Hey," you look at Michael in mock anger, "how come you're allowed chatting on the phone, and I'm not?"

"Because this," he points to his own phone, "is important. And whatever you were having right here is not, judging by whale noises you were making."

You laugh at his metaphor. He is kinda right.

Your phone lays forgotten while you finish your workout.

\------

An hour later, when you're tired and clean and chilling on the couch in the living room, you notice that you have one notification on your phone. From Lando. A photo.

For some weird-ass reason your stupid brain goes right back to the conversation you previously were having.

_ > I'm not sending you photo proof, mate _

You feel a touch of panic, but a second later reasonable part of your brain catches up with you, and of course Lando won't send anything... weird to his future colleague. To  _ a guy _ .

You open the messenger, the photo loads, and of course -- it's Lando, in front of his computer setup, giving you a thumbs up. There's a text overlay, saying "at least I'm not losing my racing skills here!"

What a little shit.

_ > To be honest, was hoping you changed your mind about "photo proof", mate _

Lando doesn't get it again.

_ > What photo proof? _

You decide to leave him alone to try to figure it out on his own and to judge yourself a winner in your little match today. But then-

_ > Maybe next year. _

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Okay, second fic. What planning to right something M-rated since I LIVE FOR SMUT, but... no content yet you guys!!!! NO CONTENT!!!11
> 
> 2021 can't come soon enough.


End file.
